Ironpants is often cited as proof that “Flappy Bird” is now a genre. This new iOS and Android game is arguably even more difficult than Flappy Bird. Your character is an 8-bit superhero in tighty whities, and your goal is to fly as far as you can, scoring one point with each set of boxes you fly over/under. Read on for some tips and tricks for Ironpants!
The rhythm of controlling your hero is VERY tough to get, because if you let your finger off for just a split second too long, you’ll fall straight too the ground, and if you leave your finger on the screen for too long you’ll shoot right to the top. Very quick and light finger taps are required to even have a prayer at keeping your hero flying relatively straight.
Once you have that down, focus on aiming your hero as close to the center of the screen as possible. You won’t see the gap that you have to send your hero through until the very last second, and all of the gaps will be either in the center, the upper-center or the lower-center, so by keeping your hero at or near the middle of the screen, you will never have to go too far.
Relaxation is also key to getting a high score in this game. It can be extremely frustrating, and if you get too frustrated, you’ll have an extremely difficult time with it. When frustration sets in, take a break, then come back and play again later. However, play as much as possible while still staying calm, because your skills will increase as you play more.
If you have both a tablet and a phone, play on the tablet because even though the controls and the proportion of characters’ sizes are exactly the same, it’s far easier to see everything. On the phone, make sure you play with your finger at the very bottom of the screen, because otherwise, you’ll be covering up your hero if you’re a lefty, or you’ll be covering up the boxes if you’re a righty.
Play multiple rounds where you don’t bother with the score, but instead dedicate your time to practice short jumps and short drops, so that you can work out the perfect timing to jump up one or two squares without flying away or falling. Do this and it will be far easier to adjust.